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September 06, 2017

Stopping the killing starts with individual choices

Do you know who Nemo is? Not Captain Nemo who was the ship captain in Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. And, not the wayward little fish in “Finding Nemo.” More recently, another Nemo has been in the news who is the new dog of President and Madame Macron of France. That Nemo was adopted by the French First Couple from a shelter in France where he had arrived as a stray.

When I read recently of Nemo’s adoption by the Macrons, I was grateful for the fine example that they are setting of adopting a formerly homeless pet, rather than buying a pure bred dog from a breeder or pet store. I wish so much that message would be more effectively conveyed here in the United States. Note that I use the word “effectively.” Despite our many and long-standing efforts to convince people that they must adopt and not shop, I find myself feeling discouraged at times about making headway in convincing people of moderate affluence of the critical importance of adopting their pets from shelters.

I have experiences so often with friends and acquaintances of means who tell me that they are in a position to bring a new pet into their home. I always seek to convince them to give a chance to a shelter pet. The scenario unfolds pretty much the same way each time. They say they will consider it. Soon, I call them about some very special, cute, sweet dogs or cats we have at the Richmond SPCA. They usually will come see them to humor me, but it stops there. While they are visiting with the pets we are showing them, they tell me how they really want something very specific, which is something different from what these pets are. It is usually a specific breed that they have had in the past and are convinced is the only great dog in the world. I explain that the world is full of great dogs of many types. They tell me that they are worried that they don’t know the past of the dogs in our shelter. They often spout that old canard about how they want a puppy because they can be sure to train that puppy to have the exact personality they want in their next pet. I explain that dogs and cats are individuals and, while good training is a fine thing, you must not imagine that you will be able to write the exactly desired personality on a blank slate, any more than you can or should create your child’s own personality. I explain the bigger picture – that shelters are full of wonderful homeless animals and, if we are to create and sustain no-kill communities, we must participate personally in giving a home to a homeless pet. I make clear that their own personal behavior contributes directly to our life-saving success. They smile, pretend to agree and then go out and get a pet from a breeder.

I am going to be frank here. This pattern I am describing happens with fairly affluent people. People who can have pretty much exactly what they want. Despite our efforts to persuade them, many of them simply refuse to acknowledge how their own behavior about the acquisition of a new pet directly affects whether homeless animals live or die. They want to remain in oblivious denial in order to have their heart’s desire. It is all about them.

But their own behavior about acquiring a pet really does directly affect whether or not wonderful animals survive. They don’t die here in our care, but if we don’t adopt them out, then we cannot bring more in from places where those animals’ lives are at risk. Every adoption allows there to be another life saved.

There is no excuse for buying a pet from a breeder or pet store. None. Full stop. Every single one of us can be a part of the solution and can play a role in stopping the needless killing of dogs and cats in shelters. You can get a wonderful and loving pet at the same time as you do the right thing ethically. I have one of those wonderful pets lying next to me right now as I type this.

Binks, a kitten with cerebellar hypoplasia, was adopted on July 12. His severe neurological conditions require special accommodations his adopter was willing to make for him.

Is every pet in a shelter perfect? Of course not. They have often had tough lives before they get to us. They may need some love and some patience. But no animal, and no person for that matter, is ever perfect. The truth is that that supposedly perfect little puppy they may buy from a breeder won’t be perfect either.

Saving lives is what we do. And, I cannot find the words to express the depth of my gratitude to the wonderful people who adopt animals in need from us. Especially for the wonderful folks who adopt pets with medical or behavioral challenges. They are life-savers and heroes. Just like the President and First Lady of France, they set the example of the right thing to do. I wish the other folks out there would listen to and heed that message.

Robin Robertson Starr is the chief executive officer of the Richmond SPCA. To read her biography or that of our other bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires both your first and last name to be used as your screen name.

Comments

Robin I am so thrilled to see this. It is one of those subjects that always really bothers me but I hesitate to speak up for fear of making someone angry or resentful. You have obviously stepped out on a limb here but this is one of the reasons I admire and respect you so very much. Hopefully your voice will be heard and cause people to think twice about buying a dog. I have heard some unbelievable explanations. One that always gets me is those that feel guilty so they adopt a dog along with buying one. Thank you Robin! I plan on speaking up the next time I am involved in this type of thing. You have given me the courage!